Bernie Ecclestone wanted one more year running F1

Ex-Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone would have liked to spend one more year in the role before handing the running of the sport over to Liberty Media

Ex-Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone would have liked to spend one more year in the role before handing the running of the sport over to Liberty Media, but has no hard feelings over his departure.

Ecclestone, 86, was forced to resign from his position in January following the completion of Liberty's takeover, with American businessman Chase Carey taking over his role.

Ecclestone has been handed the honorary position of 'chairman emeritus', but no longer holds control of the sport, with a number of changes already being invoked by Liberty.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Ecclestone said if he had been Liberty, he would have given himself another year to see how things worked before taking the decision to make a change at the top of F1.

"I would have asked them to work with me for a bit," Ecclestone told Sky Sports News. "Wait for a year and afterwards say 'has it worked, not worked?'

"'Not worked? Sorry, you'll have to leave,' or whatever.

"But different people operate companies differently, obviously. I think this is very much the way American companies operate. Let's be absolutely sensible about it: they bought the car, they wanted to drive it."